DIGITAL COMICS: Archaia announces Space: 1999: Aftershock and Awe

by Press Release

Press Release

Award-winning graphic novel publisher Archaia Entertainment has led the charge on digital-first publication, releasing chapters from upcoming books weeks, and sometimes months, in advance of the print edition through an exclusive partnership with comiXology, the revolutionary digital comics platform with over 75 million comic downloads to date and a selection of more than 25,000 comics and graphic novels. Today, Archaia Entertainment and comiXology announce a new wave of high-profile digital premieres debuting digitally in advance of their hardcover collected print edition.

SPACE: 1999: AFTERSHOCK AND AWE is the first of a series of hardcover graphic novels based on the late 1970s science-fiction TV series, re-introduced to a modern audience by author Andrew Gaska (Conspiracy of the Planet of the Apes, Critical Millennium) and artists David Hueso, Gray Morrow, and Miki. The new title reignites this classic property about an atomic accident that sends the moon hurtling out of Earth’s orbit and into deep space. The story begins in AWE, which adapts the pilot episode of SPACE: 1999, “Breakaway,” as seen through the personal logs of Commander John Koenig and Professor Victor Bergman on Moonbase Alpha, expanded to include both new and unfilmed material, and utilizing the remastered art of comics legend Gray Morrow as a basis for this revolutionary retelling of a sci-fi classic. Future digital single issues will continue the story as AFTERSHOCK explores the social, political, and environmental impact of this disaster on Earth itself.

MUMBAI CONFIDENTIAL is a gritty crime noir with an authentic Indian twist, written by Saurav Mohapatra (Witchblade, Virgin Comics) and painted by Vivek Shinde. When a grief-stricken bad-cop is the victim of a hit-and-run that also claims the life of a street urchin, he goes off on a mission on his own to discover the identity of the driver. But when the driver turns out to be an over-the-hill, Bollywood B-Movie actor, he finds himself in direct confrontation with his ex-colleagues, who are now de factor gangsters in uniform who use the actors’ movies to launder their money. The digital single issues of MUMBAI will feature exclusive, digital-only side stories and editorials from well-known comic luminaries not included in the print edition.

The first chapters of SPACE: 1999: AFTERSHOCK AND AWE and MUMBAI CONFIDENTIAL debut digitally on comiXology on Wednesday, July 11, 2012.

Both hardcover collected volumes will be available later this year and early 2013, respectively, but the monthly digital releases will debut this week on the comiXology platform — available across iPhone, iPad , Android, Kindle Fire, and the Web

About Archaia

Archaia is a multi-award-winning graphic novel publisher with more than 50 renowned publishing brands, including such domestic and international hits as Mouse Guard, Return of the Dapper Men, Gunnerkrigg Court, Awakening, The Killer, Days Missing, Tumor, Syndrome, Artesia, The Engineer, and an entire line of The Jim Henson Company graphic novels. Archaia has built an unparalleled reputation for producing meaningful content that perpetually transforms minds, building one of the industry’s most visually stunning and eclectic slates of graphic novels. Archaia was named Graphic Novel Publisher of the Year according to Ain’t it Cool News, Graphic Policy and Comic Related, and was honored with nine 2011 Eisner Awards nominations and two Awards for Best Graphic Album and Best Anthology. Archaia has also successfully emerged as a prolific storyteller in all facets of the entertainment industry, extending their popular brands into film, television, gaming, and branded digital media.

About comiXology:

Founded in 2007 with the mission of bringing comics to people everywhere, comiXology — in just five short years — has revolutionized the comic book and graphic novel world. From creating the industry leading platform for digital comics to tools and services for brick and mortar retailers, comiXology has lead the charge in exposing new audiences to the rich history and culture of comic books. With the development of the Comics by comiXology digital comics platform — available across iPhone, iPad , Android , Kindle Fire, and the Web — comiXology provides the easiest way worldwide for people to enjoy comics at just the click of a button! Regularly ranking as the top grossing iPad app in the entire iTunes App Store, Comics by comiXology was recently selected as a preloaded app on Amazon’s Kindle Fire. Providing digital comics across multiple platforms, comiXology will not stop until everyone on the face of the earth has been turned into a comic book fan.